Adjustable armrest between chairs



May 2, 1950 C. E. LONG ADJUSTABLE ARMREST BETWEEN CHAIRS Filed NOV. 4, 1947 INVEN TOR,

Car/ 5 lalfy Patented May 2, 1950 ADJUSTABLE ARMREST BETWEEN CHAIRS Carl E. Long, Santa Monica, Calif., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Hardman Tool & Engineering 00., South Gate, Calif.

Application November 4, 1947, Serial No. 783,955

2 Claims. (01. 155-112) This invention relates to adjustable arm rests between chairs, and more particularly to an adjustable arm rest between two adjacent chairs in an airplane or coach.

It is often desired to eliminate an arm rest between adjacent chairs or seats so as to have said seats together with no obstruction or gap therebetween. In order to do this quickly and conveniently, I have invented an arm rest which can be moved forwardly from its up and operating position, to a down position between said seats to fill the gap therebetween, and in a position flush with said seats.

In order to explain my invention in detail, I have shown one practical embodiment thereof on the accompanying sheet of drawings, which I will now describe.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a double chair with my improved arm rest therebetween in its up or operating position;

Figure 2 is a similar view with said arm rest in its down position;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of a chair and arm rest, one chair on the near side being removed on a section line 3-3 on Fig. 1, whereby to expose the arm rest and its supporting mechanism;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view, taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, I have shown two chairs or chair seats 6 and l, with my arm rest 8 therebetween, in its up position in Fig. 1, and in its down position in Fig. 2, showing said arm rest, not only flush with the two seats 6 and I, but also flush with the front ends of said seats.

Referring to Fig. 3, where one chair is removed to show a side view of the arm rest and its supporting mechanism, the arm rest 8 has a supporting lever or arm 9 pivotally connected to its under side, as at 10, and at its lower end, said lever 9 is connected with a rigid frame member, as at H. At its rearward end said arm rest 8 is provided on its under side with a casting l2, within which is a rubber grommet i3, clearly shown in section in both views, said casting [2 being seen in transverse sectional view in Fig. 4, and in longitudinal sectional view in Fig. 5.

The arm rest construction is preferably of sheet metal and includes the metal plate l4 underlying the arm rest, and also including a channel portion IE, to receive said casting l2, shown inserted therein in Fig. 5. Said arm rest struc- Secured to the rear frame structure of the chair, between the backs of the chairs, is a T- member having the stem portion I6 and the T- portion l1, II, also seen in Figs. 1 and 2. Two short shafts I 9, I9 are shown in the opposite ends of this T-portion, forming a pivotal connection with the adjacent frame members I8, l8, in the backs B, B of the two adjacent chairs, as will be understood by careful reference to the section line a 4 on Fig. 3, but in which one chair back is removed to expose the full side of the arm rest. The outer ends of said short shafts l9, l9, are in bearings, as l9, l9 formed as parts of the side members l8, l8 of the chair backs B.

Mounted upon said T-member I1 is a casting 20, secured in place by screws 2|, 2|, said member 20 having an upstanding stud '22, positioned to receive the rubber grommet I3, as clearly seen in Figs. 4 and 5, when the free end of said arm rest 8 is placed thereupon, as shown. Thus the free end of said arm rest 8, including the casting l2 and said grommet, can be lifted off said stud 22, and swung forwardly and downwardly between the two seats, as indicated in Fig. 2.

The supporting member or lever 9, as it moves downwardly with said arm rest to the position indicated in light broken lines in Fig. 3, will engage an upstanding stud 23, having a cushion cap 24.

I do not limit my invention to the details of construction and arrangement shown on the accompanying drawings for purposes of explanation, realizing that changes therein can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, except as I may be limited by the hereto appended claims.

I claim:

1. The combination with two chairs having a gap therebetween for an arm rest common to both, of an arm rest pivotally supported in said gap, between said chairs, a supporting lever pivotally connected at its upper end to the underside of said arm rest intermediate its ends and at its lower end to the chair frame below the base of the seat thereof, and a releasable mechanism on the underside of the rearward end of said arm rest for supporting it in operative position when raised, said releasable mechanism including an upstanding stud on a fixed part of the chair frame, a casting secured to the end of the arm rest with an opening and a grommet made of rubber therein and having an inside diameter substantially the same as the outside diameter of said stud, to fit over said stud, whereby the end of said arm rest is detachably and firmly held on said upstanding stud, said arm being movable forwardly and downwardly into the gap between said seats.

2. In combination with a pair of chairs having a common arm rest therebetween, means movably supporting said arm rest whereby it can be swung forwardly and downwardly between said chairs, said means including a,- pivoted lever between the frame of the chair anci the underside 1-5 ,0

of said arm rest, intermediate its ends, and releasable means at the free end of said. arm. rest including a supporting member with an upstanding stud thereon, a casting secured to. the underside of the end of the arm rest, said casting having a grommet made of rubber therein and having an inside diameter substantially the CARL E. LONG.

REFERENCES, CITED The following references. are of record in the 10 file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 85,481 Schmitt Dec. 29, 1868 Lord, Sept. 22, 1931 1,859,286 Brotherton May 24, 1932 2,243,286 Probst May 27, 1941 2,337,557 Jones Dec. 8, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS 20 Number Country Date 654,699 France Oct. 27, 1923 

